U.S. patent number 10,977,544 [Application Number 16/450,177] was granted by the patent office on 2021-04-13 for commodity registration supporting device and computer program.
This patent grant is currently assigned to TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA. The grantee listed for this patent is TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Tsuyoshi Gotanda, Hajime Hata.
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United States Patent |
10,977,544 |
Gotanda , et al. |
April 13, 2021 |
Commodity registration supporting device and computer program
Abstract
A commodity registration supporting device according to an
embodiment includes a receiver, an acquiring section, a first
detecting section, an adding section, and an output section. The
receiver receives an electromagnetic wave transmitted from a first
transmitter provided in a display place where a commodity is
displayed. The acquiring section acquires, from the electromagnetic
wave received by the receiver, identification information of the
commodity displayed in the display place where the first
transmitter that transmits the electromagnetic wave is provided.
The first detecting section detects a first act of a purchaser
taking out the commodity from the display place and storing the
commodity in a storage body. The adding section adds, if first act
is detected by the first detecting section, the commodity
identified by the identification information acquired by the
acquiring section to a list. The output section outputs the
list.
Inventors: |
Gotanda; Tsuyoshi (Ota Tokyo,
JP), Hata; Hajime (Mishima Shizuoka, JP) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA |
Tokyo |
N/A |
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
(Tokyo, JP)
|
Family
ID: |
1000005486184 |
Appl.
No.: |
16/450,177 |
Filed: |
June 24, 2019 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20190392278 A1 |
Dec 26, 2019 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 25, 2018 [JP] |
|
|
JP2018-120084 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W
4/35 (20180201); G06K 19/07758 (20130101); G06Q
30/0633 (20130101); G06K 7/10475 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06K
19/077 (20060101); H04W 4/35 (20180101); G06K
7/10 (20060101); G06Q 30/06 (20120101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lee; Seung H
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Foley & Lardner LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A commodity registration supporting device comprising: a
receiver configured to receive a first electromagnetic wave
transmitted from a first transmitter of a shelf label tag provided
in a display configured to display a commodity; and a processor
comprising: an acquiring section configured to acquire, from the
first electromagnetic wave received by the receiver, identification
information of the commodity; a first detecting section configured
to detect a first act of a purchaser taking out the commodity from
the display and storing the commodity in a storage body; an adding
section configured to add the commodity identified by the
identification information acquired by the acquiring section to a
list in response to the first detecting section detecting the first
act; and an output section configured to output the list.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein: the receiver is configured to
receive a second electromagnetic wave transmitted from a second
transmitter provided in the storage body; and the first detecting
section is configured to detect the first act in response to
receiving the second electromagnetic wave after receiving the first
electromagnetic wave.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor further comprises:
a second detecting section configured to detect a second act of the
purchaser returning the commodity stored in the storage body to the
display; and a deleting section configured to delete the commodity
identified by the identification information acquired by the
acquiring section from the list in response to the second detecting
section detecting the second act.
4. The device of claim 3, wherein: the receiver is configured to
receive a radio wave transmitted from a third transmitter provided
in the storage body; and the second detecting section is configured
to detect the second act in response to the receiver receiving the
first electromagnetic wave after receiving the radio wave.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to be
attached to an upper limb of a purchaser.
6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a device display
configured to display instructions for purchasing the commodity in
response to receiving the first electromagnetic wave.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein the device display is configured
to display a price of the commodity and a name of the commodity in
response to receiving the first electromagnetic wave.
8. A commodity registration supporting method comprising: receiving
a first electromagnetic wave transmitted from a first transmitter
of a shelf label tag; displaying, by a display and in response to
receiving the first electromagnetic wave, at least one of a name of
a commodity or a price of the commodity; acquiring, from the first
electromagnetic wave, identification information of the commodity;
detecting a first act of a purchaser taking out the commodity from
the display and storing the commodity in a storage body; adding the
commodity identified by the identification information to a list in
response to detecting the first act; and outputting the list.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: receiving a second
electromagnetic wave transmitted from a second transmitter provided
in the storage body; and detecting the first act in response to
receiving the second electromagnetic wave after receiving the first
electromagnetic wave.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: detecting a second
act of the purchaser returning the commodity stored in the storage
body; and deleting the commodity identified by the identification
information from the list in response to detecting the second
act.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: receiving a radio
wave transmitted from a third transmitter provided in the storage
body; and detecting the second act in response to receiving the
first electromagnetic wave after receiving the radio wave.
12. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying
instructions for purchasing the commodity in response to receiving
the first electromagnetic wave.
13. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying a price of
the commodity and a name of the commodity in response to receiving
the first electromagnetic wave.
14. A system for a display configured to store a commodity, the
system comprising: a first shelf label tag associated with the
commodity, the first shelf label tag configured to transmit a first
electromagnetic wave; a storage body configured to store the
commodity; and a device comprising: a receiver configured to
receive the first electromagnetic wave; and a processor comprising:
an acquiring section configured to acquire, from the first
electromagnetic wave received by the receiver, identification
information of the commodity; a first detecting section configured
to detect at least one of removal of the commodity from the display
or insertion of the commodity in the storage body; an adding
section configured to add the commodity to a list in response to
the first detecting section detecting the removal of the commodity
from the display or insertion of the commodity in the storage body;
and an output section configured to output the list.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein: the storage body comprises a
second tag configured to transmit a second electromagnetic wave;
the receiver is configured to receive the second electromagnetic
wave; and the first detecting section is configured to receive the
second electromagnetic wave before detecting at least one of
removal of the commodity from the display or insertion of the
commodity in the storage body.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor further
comprises: a second detecting section configured to detect at least
one of insertion of the commodity in the display or removal of the
commodity in the storage body; and a deleting section configured to
delete the commodity from the list in response to the second
detecting section detecting at least one of insertion of the
commodity in the display or removal of the commodity in the storage
body.
17. The system of claim 14, wherein the device is configured to be
attached to an upper limb of a purchaser.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority
from Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-120084, filed in Jun. 25,
2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
FIELD
Embodiments described herein relate generally to a commodity
registration supporting device and a computer program.
BACKGROUND
In recent years, a commodity registration supporting system has
been developed that supports, using a cart terminal, sales
registration of commodities purchased by a customer. The cart
terminal includes a barcode reader or a wireless tag reader and is
attached to a shopping cart. The shopping cart is hereinafter
referred to as cart. When putting a commodity in the cart, the
customer causes the barcode reader or the wireless tag reader to
read data of a barcode or a wireless tag attached to the commodity.
Consequently, a list of commodities stored in the cart is created.
Identification information for identifying the cart terminal or the
customer is associated with the list. The list may be created by
the cart terminal or may be created by a server connected to the
cart terminal by wireless communication.
In accounting in a Point of Sale (POS) terminal, the customer
inputs the identification information of the cart terminal or the
customer to the POS terminal. Consequently, in the POS terminal,
sales registration processing of the commodities is executed based
on information described in the list associated with the
identification information. The commodity registration supporting
system using the cart terminal in the past is based on the premise
that a barcode or a wireless tag is attached to each one of
commodities. If barcodes or wireless tags are not attached to
commodities, a purchaser has to select a commodity to be purchased
from a commodity list displayed on a touch panel of the cart
terminal. Therefore, a burden on the customer increases. However,
for example, if a wireless tag is attached to each one of
commodities, expenses related to wireless tags are enormous.
Related art is described in, for example, JP-A-2011-203058.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a main part circuit
configuration of a commodity registration supporting device in a
first embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an attachment example of
shelf label tags;
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an attachment example of
a purchase tag and a commodity return tag;
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example in which a
purchaser wears a commodity registration supporting device of a
wristwatch type;
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a main memory area of
the commodity registration supporting device;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a main part procedure of
information processing executed by a processor according to a
commodity registration supporting program in the first
embodiment;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the main part procedure;
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the main part procedure;
FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the main part procedure;
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the main part procedure;
FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the main part procedure;
FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a main part circuit
configuration of a commodity registration supporting device in a
second embodiment;
FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating an attachment example
of a cart tag;
FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of
purchased commodity data stored in a purchased commodity memory in
the second embodiment;
FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a main part procedure of
information processing executed by a processor according to a
commodity registration supporting program in the second
embodiment;
FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the main part procedure; and
FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating the main part procedure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiments described herein related to providing a commodity
registration supporting device and a computer program that can
efficiently support commodity registration by a purchaser at low
cost.
A commodity registration supporting device according to an
embodiment includes a receiver, an acquiring section, a first
detecting section, an adding section, and an output section. The
receiver receives an electromagnetic wave transmitted from a first
transmitter provided in a display place where a commodity is
displayed. The acquiring section acquires, from the electromagnetic
wave received by the receiver, identification information of the
commodity displayed in the display place where the first
transmitter that transmits the electromagnetic wave is provided.
The first detecting section detects a first act of a purchaser
taking out the commodity from the display place and storing the
commodity in a storage body. The adding section adds, if first act
is detected by the first detecting section, the commodity
identified by the identification information acquired by the
acquiring section to a list. The output section outputs the
list.
Commodity registration supporting devices in embodiments that can
efficiently support commodity registration by a purchaser at low
cost are explained with reference to the drawings. The embodiments
are applied to a store adopting an accounting system in which a
purchaser picks up commodities that the purchaser is about to
purchase out of commodities displayed in a commodity shelf and
stores the commodities in a storage body such as a cart or a
shopping basket and, when ending shopping, moves to an accounting
place where a POS terminal is set and pays a price of the purchased
commodities.
First Embodiment
First, a first embodiment is explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to
11.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a main part circuit
configuration of a commodity registration supporting device 10 in
the first embodiment. The commodity registration supporting device
10 is a wearable computer that a purchaser can wear and carry.
Specifically, the commodity registration supporting device 10 is
formed in a wristwatch shape and is attached to a wrist of the
purchaser.
The commodity registration supporting device 10 includes a
processor 11, a main memory 12, an auxiliary storage device 13, a
wireless unit 14, a display 15, a light emitting diode (LED)
circuit 16, a wireless tag reader 17, and a system transmission
line 18. The system transmission line 18 includes an address bus, a
data bus, and a control signal line. In the commodity registration
supporting device 10, the processor 11, the main memory 12, the
auxiliary storage device 13, the wireless unit 14, the display 15,
the LED circuit 16, and the wireless tag reader 17 are connected to
the system transmission line 18. In the commodity registration
supporting device 10, a computer is configured by the processor 11,
the main memory 12, and the auxiliary storage device 13, and the
system transmission line 18 that connects the processor 11, the
main memory 12, and the auxiliary storage device 13.
The processor 11 is equivalent to a central part of the computer.
The processor 11 controls the sections according to an operating
system or application programs in order to realize various
functions of the commodity registration supporting device 10. The
processor 11 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU).
The main memory 12 is equivalent to a main storage portion of the
computer. The main memory 12 includes a nonvolatile memory region
and a volatile memory region. The main memory 12 stores the
operating system or the application programs in the nonvolatile
memory region. The main memory 12 sometimes stores, in the
nonvolatile or volatile memory region, data necessary for the
processor 11 in executing processing for controlling the sections.
The main memory 12 uses the volatile memory region as a work area
where data is rewritten as appropriate by the processor 11. The
nonvolatile memory region is, for example, a read only memory
(ROM). The volatile memory region is, for example, a random access
memory (RAM).
The auxiliary storage device 13 is equivalent to an auxiliary
storage portion of the computer. For example, an electric erasable
programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a hard disk drive (HDD), or
a solid state drive (SSD) can be the auxiliary storage device 13.
The auxiliary storage device 13 saves data used by the processor 11
in performing various kinds of processing, data created by the
processing in the processor 11, and the like. The auxiliary storage
device 13 sometimes stores the application programs described
above.
The wireless unit 14 performs data communication with a POS
terminal 20 through a wireless local area network (LAN) that adopts
a standard such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The POS terminal
20 is usually set in an accounting place of a store. A store clerk
in charge of accounting, so-called cashier, operates the POS
terminal 20, performs sales registration of commodities purchased
by a customer, and further performs accounting processing to settle
a transaction with the customer. The wireless unit 14 may directly
perform the data communication with the POS terminal 20. The
wireless unit 14 may perform the data communication with the POS
terminal 20 via a base station. The wireless unit 14 may perform
the data communication with the POS terminal 20 via a server
connected to the base station. The wireless unit 14 may perform
wireless communication with an electronic apparatus other than the
POS terminal 20.
The display 15 is a display device of the commodity registration
supporting device 10. The display 15 is capable of displaying
commodity names, prices, and the like. As the display 15, a liquid
crystal display, an organic electro luminescence (EL) display, or
the like is used. The display 15 may have a touch panel
function.
The LED circuit 16 controls lighting and extinction of a first LED
161 and a second LED 162. The first LED 161 and the second LED 162
have different light emission colors. The light emission colors are
not particularly limited. For example, the first LED 161 may be a
red LED and the second LED 162 may be a yellow LED. An LED of
another color may be used as the first LED 161 or the second LED
162. The number of LEDs controlled by the LED circuit 16 are not
limited to two. The LED circuit 16 may control lighting and
extinction of only one LED or three or more LEDs.
The wireless tag reader 17 reads data of an integrated circuit (IC)
memory included in a wireless tag 30 through noncontact wireless
communication between the wireless tag reader 17 and the wireless
tag 30. The wireless tag reader 17 includes an antenna. If the
antenna approaches approximately 20 cm from an antenna of the
wireless tag 30, the wireless tag reader 17 reads data of the
wireless tag 30 with an electromagnetic induction system.
The wireless tag 30 is a type of a transmitter that transmits an
electromagnetic wave. The wireless tag 30 is referred to as radio
frequency identification (ID), electronic tag, IC tag, and the like
as well. In this embodiment, a peculiar name is attached to the
wireless tag 30 according to a use. That is, in this embodiment, a
store entry tag 31, a POS tag 32, a shelf label tag 33, a purchase
tag 34, and a commodity return tag 35 are used. The store entry tag
31 is provided near an entrance of the store. The store entry tag
31 transmits an electromagnetic wave including data indicating
entry of the purchaser into the store. Content of the data is not
particularly limited. In short, the processor 11 of the commodity
registration supporting device 10, which reads the data of the
store entry tag 31 via the wireless tag reader 17, only has to be
able to specify that the data is the data of the store entry tag
31. An attachment place of the store entry tag 31 is desirably a
place where the wireless tag reader 17 can read the data of the
store entry tag 31 according to an act of a purchaser, who wears
the commodity registration supporting device 10, taking out a cart
or a shopping basket placed near the store entrance. The attachment
place of the store entry tag 31 may be a place where the wireless
tag reader 17 can read the data of the store entry tag 31 if the
purchaser brings the worn commodity registration supporting device
10 close to the store entry tag 31 in the act of taking out the
cart or the shopping basket.
The POS tag 32 is provided for each POS terminal 20. The POS tag 32
transmits an electromagnetic wave including identification
information for identifying the POS terminal 20. The identification
information of this type is hereinafter referred to as POS ID. The
POS ID is different for each POS terminal 20. A data structure of
the POS ID is not particularly limited. In short, the processor 11
of the commodity registration supporting device 10, which reads
data of the POS tag 32 via the wireless tag reader 17, only has to
be able to identify the POS terminal 20. An attachment place of the
POS tag 32 is desirably a place where the wireless tag reader 17
can read the data of the POS tag 32 if the purchaser wearing the
commodity registration supporting device 10 arrives at the
accounting place to perform settlement. The attachment place of the
POS tag 32 may be a place where the wireless tag reader 17 can read
the data of the POS tag 32 if the purchaser brings the worn
commodity registration supporting device 10 close to the POS tag 32
when the purchaser arrives at the accounting place.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the shelf label tag 33 is provided for
each of shelf labels 42 respectively provided in sections 41 of a
commodity shelf 40 in which commodities are displayed. The
commodity shelf 40 is divided into a plurality of sections 41 by
partition plates 43. Commodities of one article are displayed in
each of the sections 41. That is, the section 41 is a display place
of the commodity. The shelf label 42 displays a commodity name, a
price, and the like of the commodity displayed in the section 41 in
which the shelf label 42 is provided. The shelf label 42 is
desirably an electronic shelf label. The shelf label 42 may be a
shelf label of a paper label type. The partition plate 43 may be
absent if commodities displayed in sections adjacent to each other
are not mixed.
The shelf label tag 33 transmits an electromagnetic wave including
data related to a commodity displayed in the section 41
corresponding to the shelf label tag 33. The data includes
identification information, a commodity name, and a price of the
commodity. The identification information of the commodity is
hereinafter referred to as commodity ID. The commodity ID is
different for each article of the commodity. A data structure of
the commodity ID is not particularly limited. In short, the
processor 11 of the commodity registration supporting device 10,
which reads the data of the shelf label tag 33 via the wireless tag
reader 17, only has to be able to identify the commodity. An
attachment place of the shelf label tag 33 is desirably a place
where the wireless tag reader 17 can read the data of the shelf
label tag 33 according to an act of the purchaser stretching a hand
to the commodity shelf 40 in order to take out a commodity from the
section 41. The attachment place of the shelf label tag 33 may be a
place where the wireless tag reader 17 can read the data of the
shelf label tag 33 if the purchaser brings the worn commodity
registration supporting device 10 close to the shelf label tag 33
when taking out the commodity from the section 41.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the purchase tag 34 and the commodity
return tag 35 are provided in a shopping basket 50. The shopping
basket 50 functions as a storage body for the purchaser to store
and carry commodities to be purchased. The purchase tag 34
transmits an electromagnetic wave including data indicating that
the commodities stored in the shopping basket 50 are purchased
commodities. Content of the data is not particularly limited. In
short, the processor 11 of the commodity registration supporting
device 10, which reads the data of the purchase tag 34 via the
wireless tag reader 17, only has to be able to specify that the
data is the data of the purchase tag 34. The commodity return tag
35 transmits a radio wave including data indicating that a
commodity taken out from the shopping basket 50 is a returned
commodity. Content of the data is not particularly limited. In
short, the processor 11 of the commodity registration supporting
device 10, which reads the data of the commodity return tag 35 via
the wireless tag reader 17, only has to be able to specify that the
data is the data of the commodity return tag 35. In FIG. 3, the
purchase tag 34 is provided on the outer side of one side surface
51 among four side surfaces 51, 52, 53, and 54 forming the shopping
basket 50. The commodity return tag 35 is provided on the outer
side of the side surface 53 opposed to the side surface 51.
Attachment places of the purchase tag 34 and the commodity return
tag 35 are not limited to the places illustrated in FIG. 3. The
attachment place of the purchase tag 34 is desirably a place where
the wireless tag reader 17 can read the data of the purchase tag 34
according to an act of the purchaser, who wears the commodity
registration supporting device 10, putting a commodity taken out
from the commodity shelf 40 in the shopping basket 50. The
attachment place of the purchase tag 34 may be a place where the
wireless tag reader 17 can read the data of the purchase tag 34 if
the purchaser brings the worn commodity registration supporting
device 10 close to the purchase tag 34 when putting the commodity
in the shopping basket 50. The attachment place of the commodity
return tag 35 is desirably a place where the wireless tag reader 17
can read the data of the commodity return tag 35 according to an
act of the purchaser, who wears the commodity registration
supporting device 10, taking out the commodity from the shopping
basket 50. The attachment place of the commodity return tag 35 may
be a place where the wireless tag reader 17 can read the data of
the commodity return tag 35 if the purchaser brings the worn
commodity registration supporting device 10 close to the commodity
return tag 35 when taking out the commodity from the shopping
basket 50.
The shelf label tag 33 functions as a first transmitter. The
purchase tag 34 functions as a second transmitter. The commodity
return tag 35 functions as a third transmitter. The wireless tag
reader 17 functions as a receiver.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example in which the
purchaser wears the commodity registration supporting device 10 of
a wristwatch type. The commodity registration supporting device 10
is formed by a thin rectangular housing 100 and belts 101
respectively attached to a pair of short sides of the housing 100.
The purchaser can wear the commodity registration supporting device
10 by winding the belts 101 near a wrist 60.
The processor 11, the main memory 12, the auxiliary storage device
13, the wireless unit 14, the display 15, the LED circuit 16, the
wireless tag reader 17, and the like are mounted on the housing
100. A screen 151 of the display 15, the first LED 161, and the
second LED 162 are disposed on the surface of the housing 100. A
positional relation among the screen 151 of the display 15, the
first LED 161, and the second LED 162 is not limited to a
positional relation illustrated in FIG. 4. In short, the positional
relation only has to be a positional relation with which the
purchaser wearing the commodity registration supporting device 10
can easily confirm display content.
In the commodity registration supporting device 10, as illustrated
in FIG. 5, a buffer memory 71, a status memory 72, and a purchased
commodity memory 73 are formed in a volatile region of the main
memory 12 in order to enable the commodity registration supporting
device 10 to efficiently support commodity registration by the
purchaser at low cost. The buffer memory 71 is a region for
temporarily storing data read from the wireless tag 30 via the
wireless tag reader 17. The status memory 72 is a region for
storing status data ST indicating a state of the purchaser. The
status data ST includes "0" indicating not entering the store yet,
"1" indicating shopping, "2" indicating purchase, and "3"
indicating commodity return. The purchased commodity memory 73 can
store a plurality of purchased commodity data such as commodity
IDs, commodity names, and prices. That is, the purchased commodity
memory 73 is a region for storing a list of the purchased commodity
data.
The processor 11 uses the buffer memory 71, the status memory 72,
and the purchased commodity memory 73 when executing information
processing according to a commodity registration supporting
program. The commodity registration supporting program is a type of
an application program stored in the main memory 12 or the
auxiliary storage device 13.
FIGS. 6 to 11 are flowcharts illustrating a main part procedure of
information processing executed by the processor 11 according to
the commodity registration supporting program. A main operation of
the commodity registration supporting device 10 is explained below
with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 6 to 11. The operation
explained below is an example. A procedure and content of the
operation are not particularly limited if the same result can be
obtained.
In Act 1, the processor 11 confirms whether the data of the
wireless tag 30 is read. If the data of the wireless tag 30 is not
read, the processor 11 determines NO in Act 1 and returns to Act 1.
That is, the processor 11 continues to wait for the data of the
wireless tag 30 to be read.
If the data of the wireless tag 30 is read via the wireless tag
reader 17, the processor 11 determines YES in Act 1 and proceeds to
Act 2. In Act 2, the processor 11 analyzes the data of the wireless
tag 30. In Act 3, the processor 11 confirms whether the analyzed
data is the data of the store entry tag 31. If the analyzed data is
not the data of the store entry tag 31, the processor 11 determines
NO in Act 3 and proceeds to Act 4. In Act 4, the processor 11
confirms whether the analyzed data is the data of the shelf label
tag 33. If the analyzed data is not the data of the shelf label tag
33, the processor 11 determines NO in Act 4 and proceeds to Act 5.
In Act 5, the processor 11 confirms whether the analyzed data is
the data of the purchase tag 34. If the analyzed data is not the
data of the purchase tag 34, the processor 11 determines NO in Act
5 and proceeds to Act 6. In Act 6, the processor 11 confirms
whether the analyzed data is the data of the commodity return tag
35. If the analyzed data is not the data of the commodity return
tag 35, the processor 11 determines NO in Act 6 and proceeds to Act
7. In Act 7, the processor 11 confirms whether the analyzed data is
the data of the POS tag 32. If the analyzed data is not the data of
the POS tag 32, the processor 11 determines NO in Act 7 and returns
to Act 1. That is, if the processor 11 reads the data of the
wireless tag 30 other than the store entry tag 31, the shelf label
tag 33, the purchase tag 34, the commodity return tag 35, and the
POS tag 32, the processor 11 discards the analyzed data and
continues to wait for the data of the wireless tag 30 to be read
again.
The purchaser coming to the store attaches the commodity
registration supporting device 10 near the wrist as illustrated in
FIG. 4. The store may lend or may sell the commodity registration
supporting device 10 to the purchaser. The purchaser wearing the
commodity registration supporting device 10 takes out the shopping
basket 50 from a pile of the shopping baskets 50 stacked near the
store entrance. In such an act of the purchaser, the commodity
registration supporting device 10 reads the data of the store entry
tag 31 with the wireless tag reader 17.
If the data of the store entry tag 31 is read, the processor 11
determines YES in Act 3 and proceeds to Act 11 in FIG. 7. In Act
11, the processor 11 confirms whether the status data ST described
in the status memory 72 is "0" indicating not entering the store
yet. If the status data ST is "0", in Act 12, the processor 11
performs initialization. The regions of the buffer memory 71 and
the purchased commodity memory 73 are cleared by the
initialization.
In Act 13, the processor 11 controls display of a shopping start.
For example, the processor 11 controls the LED circuit 16 to cause
the first LED 161 and the second LED 162 to alternately perform a
flashing operation a plurality of times. For example, the processor
11 controls the display 15 to display guidance for instructing the
purchaser to start shopping on the screen 151. In Act 14, the
processor 11 changes the status data ST to "1" indicating shopping.
Thereafter, the processor 11 returns to Act 1 and continues to wait
for the wireless tag 30 to be read.
If the status data ST is not "0" indicating not entering the store
yet in act 11, the processor 11 determines NO and skips the
processing in Acts 12 to 14. The processor 11 returns to Act 1 and
continues to wait for the wireless tag 30 to be read.
If the data of the store entry tag 31 is read by the wireless tag
reader 17 in this way, display for instructing the purchaser to
start shopping is performed in the commodity registration
supporting device 10. Therefore, the purchaser confirming the
display holds the shopping basket 50 and starts shopping. At this
time, the purchaser may hold the shopping basket 50 with a hand and
start shopping or may place the shopping basket 50 on the cart and
start shopping.
The purchaser starting the shopping takes out commodities to be
purchased from the commodity shelf 40 one by one and puts the
commodities in the shopping basket 50. At this time, the purchaser
extends the hand attached with the commodity registration
supporting device 10 and takes out a commodity from the section 41,
which is the display place of the commodity. In such an act of the
purchaser, the commodity registration supporting device 10 reads
the data of the shelf label tag 33 from the shelf label 42 provided
in the section 41 with the wireless tag reader 17.
If the data of the shelf label tag 33 is read, the processor 11
determines YES in Act 4 and proceeds to Act 21 in FIG. 8. In Act
21, the processor 11 confirms whether the status data ST described
in the status memory 72 is "1" indicating shopping. If the status
data ST is "1", in Act 22, the processor 11 stores the data of the
shelf label tag 33 read by the wireless rag reader 17 in the buffer
memory 71. The data of the shelf label tag 33 includes a commodity
ID, a commodity name, and a price of a commodity displayed on the
shelf label 42 attached with the shelf label tag 33.
In Act 23, the processor 11 controls display of a purchase mode.
For example, the processor 11 controls the LED circuit 16 to light
the first LED 161. In Act 24, the processor 11 changes the status
data ST to "2" indicating purchase. Thereafter, the processor 11
returns to Act 1 and continues to wait for the wireless tag 30 to
be read. If the status data ST is not "1" indicating shopping in
Act 21, the processor 11 determines NO and proceeds to Act 31.
Processing in Act 31 and subsequent acts is explained below. The
purchaser, who takes out the commodity from the section 41,
confirms that the first LED 161 is lit. If the first LED 161 is not
lit, the purchaser brings the commodity registration supporting
device 10 close to the shelf label 42 and causes the wireless tag
reader 17 to read the data of the shelf label tag 33.
The purchaser, who confirms that the first LED 161 is lit, puts the
held commodity in the shopping basket 50. In that case, the
purchaser puts the commodity in the shopping basket 50 after
bringing the commodity registration supporting device 10 close to
the purchase tag 34. In such an act of the purchaser, the commodity
registration supporting device 10 reads the data of the purchase
tag 34 from the shopping basket 50 with wireless tag reader 17.
If the data of the purchase tag 34 is read, the processor 11
determines YES in Act 5 and proceeds to Act 41 in FIG. 9. In Act
41, the processor 11 confirms whether the status data ST described
in the status memory 72 is "2" indicating purchase. If the status
data ST is "2" indicating purchase, the processor 11 determines YES
in Act 41 and proceeds to Act 42. In Act 42, the processor 11
describes, in the purchased commodity memory 73, the data of the
shelf label tag 33 described in the buffer memory 71. That is, the
processor 11 adds purchased commodity data including a commodity
ID, a commodity name, and a price to the purchased commodity memory
73. In Act 43, the processor 11 clears the buffer memory 71.
In Act 44, the processor 11 controls the display 15 to display, on
the screen 151, the commodity name and the price of the purchased
commodity data added to the purchased commodity memory 73.
According to this control, the commodity name and the price of the
commodity put in the shopping basket 50 are displayed on the screen
151. In Act 45, the processor 11 controls the display of the
purchase mode to be erased. The first LED 161 is extinguished
according to this control.
In Act 46, the processor 11 changes the status data ST to "1"
indicating shopping. Thereafter, the processor 11 returns to Act 1
and continues to wait for the wireless tag 30 to be read.
If the status data ST is not "2" indicating purchase in Act 41, the
processor 11 determines NO and skips the processing in Acts 42 to
46. The processor 11 returns to Act 1 and continues to wait for the
wireless tag 30 to be read.
The processor 11 executes the processing in Acts 1, 2, 4, 21, and
22 in this way to thereby acquire, from an electromagnetic wave
received by the wireless tag reader 17, the commodity ID of the
commodity displayed in the section 41 of the commodity shelf 40
provided with the shelf label tag 33 that transmits the
electromagnetic wave. The computer including the processor 11 as
the central part functions as an acquiring section. The processor
11 executes the processing in Acts 24, 1, 2, 5, and 41 to thereby
detect a first act of the purchaser taking out a commodity from the
section 41 and storing the commodity in the shopping basket 50.
Specifically, the processor 11 detects the first act according to
the wireless tag reader 17 receiving the electromagnetic wave
transmitted from the purchase tag 34 after receiving the
electromagnetic wave transmitted from the shelf label tag 33. The
computer including the processor 11 as the central part functions
as a first detecting section.
The processor 11 executes the processing in Act 42 to thereby add,
if the first act is detected by the first detecting section,
purchased commodity data including a commodity ID, a commodity
name, and a price of the commodity identified by the commodity ID
acquired by the acquiring section to the purchased commodity memory
73. The computer including the processor 11 as the central part
functions as an adding section. The purchaser repeats the first act
every time the purchaser finds a commodity to be purchased.
Incidentally, the purchaser sometimes returns a commodity once put
in the shopping basket 50 to the commodity shelf 40 halfway in
shopping. In such a case, the purchaser takes out the commodity to
be returned from the shopping basket 50 with the hand attached with
the commodity registration supporting device 10. The purchaser
brings the commodity registration supporting device 10 close to the
commodity return tag 35 of the shopping basket 50. In such an act
of the purchaser, the commodity registration supporting device 10
reads the data of the commodity return tag 35 with the wireless tag
reader 17.
If the data of the commodity return tag 35 is read, the processor
11 determines YES in Act 6 and proceeds to Act 51 in FIG. 10. In
Act 51, the processor 11 confirms whether the status data ST
described in the status memory 72 is "1" indicating shopping. If
the status data ST is "1" indicating shopping, the processor 11
determines Yes in Act 51 and proceeds to Act 52. In Act 52, the
processor 11 confirms whether purchased commodity data is stored in
the purchased commodity memory 73.
If purchased commodity data is stored in the purchased commodity
memory 73, the processor 11 determines Yes in Act 52 and proceeds
to Act 53. In Act 53, the processor 11 controls display of a
commodity return mode. For example, the processor 11 controls the
LED circuit 16 to light the second LED 162. In Act 54, the
processor 11 changes the status data ST to "3" indicating commodity
return. Thereafter, the processor 11 returns to Act 1 and continues
to wait for the wireless tag 30 to be read.
If the status data ST is not "1" indicating shopping in Act 51, the
processor 11 determines NO, skips the processing in Acts 52 to 54,
and returns to Act 1. If purchased commodity data is not stored in
the purchased commodity memory 73 in Act 52, the processor 11 skips
the processing in Acts 53 and 54 and returns to Act 1.
The purchaser, who takes out the commodity to be returned from the
shopping basket 50, confirms that the second LED 162 is lit. If the
second LED 162 is not lit, the purchaser brings the commodity
registration supporting device 10 close to the commodity return tag
35 and causes the wireless tag reader 17 to read the data of the
commodity return tag 35.
The purchaser, who confirms that the second LED 162 is lit,
stretches a hand to the commodity shelf 40 and returns the
commodity to the section 41 corresponding to the commodity. In such
an act of the purchaser, the wireless tag reader 17 of the
commodity registration supporting device 10 reads the data of the
shelf label tag 33 of the shelf label 42 provided in the section
41.
If the data of the shelf label tag 33 is read, the processor 11
determines YES in Act 4 and proceeds to Act 21 in FIG. 8. In Act
21, the processor 11 confirms whether the status data ST described
in the status memory 72 is "1" indicating shopping. The status data
ST at this time is "3" indicating commodity return. Therefore, the
processor 11 determines NO in Act 21 and proceeds to Act 31. In Act
31, the processor 11 confirms whether the status data ST described
in the status memory 72 is "3" indicating commodity return.
If the status data ST is "3", the processor 11 determines YES in
Act 31 and proceeds to Act 32. In Act 32, the processor 11 stores
the data of the shelf label tag 33 read by the wireless tag reader
17 in the buffer memory 71. The data of the shelf label tag 33
includes a commodity ID, a commodity name, and a price of a
commodity, the commodity name and the price of which are displayed
on the shelf label 42 attached with the shelf label tag 33.
In Act 33, the processor 11 searches through the purchased
commodity memory 73 with the data stored in the buffer memory 71.
In Act 34, the processor 11 confirms whether purchased commodity
data including a commodity ID, a commodity name, and a price
coinciding with the data stored in the buffer memory 71 is present
in the purchased commodity memory 73.
If purchased commodity data including a commodity ID, a commodity
name, a the price coinciding with the data stored in the buffer
memory 71 is present, the processor 11 determines YES in Act 34 and
proceeds to Act 35. In Act 35, the processor 11 deletes the
purchased commodity data including the commodity ID, the commodity
name, and the price coinciding with the data stored in the buffer
memory 71 from the purchased commodity memory 73. In Act 36, the
processor 11 controls the display 15 to display the commodity name
of the returned commodity on the screen 151. According to this
control, the commodity name of the commodity returned from the
shopping basket 50 to the commodity shelf 40 is displayed on the
screen 151. In Act 37, the processor 11 controls the display of the
commodity return mode to be erased. The second LED 162 is
extinguished according to this control.
In Act 38, the processor 11 changes the status data ST to "1"
indicating shopping. In Act 39, the processor 11 clears the buffer
memory 71. Thereafter, the processor 11 returns to Act 1 and
continues to wait for the wireless tag 30 to be read.
If purchased commodity data including a commodity ID, a commodity
name, a the price coinciding with the data stored in the buffer
memory 71 is absent in Act 34, the processor 11 determines NO in
Act 34, skips the processing in Acts 35 to 38, and proceeds to Act
39. In Act 39, the processor 11 clears the buffer memory 71 and
returns to Act 1. If the status data ST is not "3" indicating
commodity return in Act 31, the processor 11 determines NO and
returns to Act 1.
The processor 11 executes the processing in Acts 1, 2, 6, 51, 52,
and 54 and the processing in Acts 1, 2, 4, and 31 to thereby detect
a second act of the purchaser returning a commodity stored in the
shopping basket 50 to the original section 41. Specifically, the
processor 11 detects the second act according to the wireless tag
reader 17 receiving the electromagnetic wave transmitted from the
shelf label tag 33 after receiving the electromagnetic wave
transmitted from the commodity return tag 35. The computer
including the processor 11 as the central part functions as a
second detecting section. The processor 11 executes the processing
in Acts 33 to 35 to thereby delete, if the second act is detected
by the second detecting section, a commodity identified by a shelf
label ID acquired by the acquiring section from the purchased
commodity memory 73. The computer including the processor 11 as the
central part functions as a deleting section. The purchaser ending
the shopping moves to the accounting place to perform settlement.
The purchaser brings the commodity registration supporting device
10 close to the POS tag 32 corresponding to the POS terminal 20 set
in the accounting place. According to such an act of the purchaser,
the commodity registration supporting device 10 reads the data of
the POS tag 32 with the wireless tag reader 17.
If the data of the POS tag 32 is read, the processor 11 determines
YES in Act 7 and proceeds to Act 61 in FIG. 11. In Act 61, the
processor 11 confirms whether the status data ST described in the
status memory 72 is "1" indicating shopping. If the status data ST
is "1", in Act 62, the processor 11 confirms whether purchased
commodity data is stored in the purchased commodity memory 73.
If purchased commodity data is stored in the purchased commodity
memory 73, in Act 63, the processor 11 requests the wireless unit
14 to perform connection to the POS terminal 20. According to this
connection request, the wireless unit 14 connects a wireless line
to the POS terminal 20 identified by the POS ID, which is the data
of the POS tag 32.
In Act 64, the processor 11 confirms whether the wireless line to
the POS terminal 20 is connected. If the wireless line is
connected, the processor 11 determines YES in Act 64 and proceeds
to Act 65. In Act 65, the processor 11 controls the wireless unit
14 to transmit the purchased commodity data stored in the purchased
commodity memory 73 to the POS terminal 20. According to this
control, the wireless unit 14 wirelessly transmits the purchased
commodity data to the POS terminal 20.
In Act 66, the processor 11 confirms whether the purchased
commodity data is finished being normally transmitted. If the
purchased commodity data is finished being normally transmitted,
the processor 11 determines YES in Act 66 and proceeds to Act 67.
In Act 67, the processor 11 changes the status data ST to "0"
indicating not entering the store yet. Thereafter, the processor 11
returns to Act 1 and continues to wait for the wireless tag 30 to
be read.
If the purchased commodity data is not finished being normally
transmitted, the processor 11 determines NO in Act 66, skips the
processing in Act 67, and returns to Act 1. If the processor 11
fails in the line connection to the POS terminal 20, the processor
11 determines NO in Act 64, skips the processing in Acts 65 to 67,
and returns to Act 1. If purchased commodity data is not stored in
the purchased commodity memory 73, the processor 11 determines NO
in Act 62, skips the processing in Acts 63 to 67, and returns to
Act 1. If the status data ST is not "1", the processor 11
determines NO in Act 61, skips the processing in Acts 62 to 67, and
returns to Act 1.
The processor 11 executes the processing in Acts 1, 2, 7, and 61 to
65 in this way to thereby output the purchased commodity data
stored in the purchased commodity memory 73 to the POS terminal 20.
The computer including the processor 11 as the central part
functions as an output section.
In the POS terminal 20, purchased commodity data received from the
commodity registration supporting device 10 is stored in a
transaction memory. A list of commodity names, prices, and the like
included in the purchased commodity data is displayed on a cashier
display. A cashier collates the list and commodities stored in the
shopping basket 50. If the list and the commodities in the shopping
basket 50 coincide, the cashier operates an accounting key. If the
accounting key is operated, in the POS terminal 20, sales
registration processing is executed based on the purchased
commodity data stored in the transaction memory.
In this way, the purchaser simply performs an inevitable act of
taking out a commodity displayed in the commodity shelf 40 with the
hand attached with the article registration supporting device 10
near the wrist and storing the commodity in the shopping basket 50,
whereby purchased commodity data related to the commodity is stored
in the purchased commodity memory 73 of the commodity registration
supporting device 10. The purchased commodity data stored in the
purchased commodity memory 73 is used for the sales registration
processing performed in the POS terminal 20. Moreover, it is
unnecessary to attach the wireless tag 30 to each one of
commodities displayed in the commodity shelf 40. Even if a barcode
is not attached to a commodity such as a perishable food,
complicated operation for selecting the commodity out of a
commodity list is unnecessary. Therefore, it is possible to provide
the commodity registration supporting device 10 that can
efficiently support commodity registration by the purchaser at low
cost.
If the purchaser takes out a commodity from the commodity shelf 40,
the purchaser brings the commodity registration supporting device
10 close to the shelf label tag 33 of the shelf label 42
corresponding to the commodity. Subsequently, if the purchaser
stores the commodity in the shopping basket 50, the purchaser
brings the commodity registration supporting device 10 close to the
purchase tag 34 provided in the shopping basket 50. The purchaser
simply performs such an act, whereby purchased commodity data
related to the commodity is stored in the purchased commodity
memory 73. Therefore, the wireless tags 30 such as the shelf label
tag 33 and the purchase tag 34 only have to be provided other than
the commodity registration supporting device 10. Therefore, it is
possible to easily introduce the commodity registration supporting
device 10 to a store such as a supermarket or a convenience
store.
The purchaser simply performs an act of taking out a commodity from
the shopping basket 50 with the hand attached with the commodity
registration supporting device 10 near the wrist and returning the
commodity to the original section 41 of the commodity shelf 40,
whereby purchased commodity data related to the commodity is
deleted from the purchased commodity memory 73 of the commodity
registration supporting device 10. Therefore, even if the purchaser
cancels purchase of a commodity that the purchaser is once about to
purchase, the purchaser only has to perform an act of returning the
commodity to the original section 41. This is not a burden for the
purchaser. Before returning a commodity from the shopping basket 50
to the commodity shelf 40, the purchaser brings the commodity
registration supporting device 10 close to the commodity return tag
35 provided in the shopping basket 50. Subsequently, if the
purchaser returns the commodity to the commodity shelf 40, the
purchaser brings the commodity registration supporting device 10
close to the shelf label tag 33 of the shelf label 42. The
purchaser simply performs such an act, whereby purchased commodity
data related to the commodity is deleted from the purchased
commodity memory 73. Therefore, simply by providing the commodity
return tag 35 in addition to the shelf label tag 33 and the
purchase tag 34, it is possible to enable the purchaser to cope
with commodity return before settlement by himself or herself.
The purchaser only has to attach the commodity registration
supporting device 10 near the wrist and does not need to perform
special operation for the commodity registration supporting device
10. Therefore, a burden on the purchaser is extremely small
compared with when a commodity registration supporting system is
constructed using a cart terminal.
Second Embodiment
A second embodiment is explained with reference to FIGS. 12 to 17.
Portions common to the first embodiment are denoted by the same
reference numerals and signs. Detailed explanation of such portions
is omitted.
FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a main part circuit
configuration of the commodity registration supporting device 10 in
the second embodiment. As it is evident if FIG. 12 is compared with
FIG. 1, a hardware configuration of the commodity registration
supporting device 10 is common to the first embodiment and the
second embodiment. In the first embodiment, a wireless
communication apparatus, a wireless line of which is connected to
the wireless unit 14, is the POS terminal 20. In the second
embodiment, the wireless communication apparatus is a cart terminal
80. In the first embodiment, there is the POS tag 32 as the
wireless tag 30 read by the wireless tag reader 17. In the second
embodiment, a cart tag 36 is used instead of the POS tag 32.
The cart terminal 80 is a wireless communication apparatus attached
to a truck called shopping cart. The cart terminal 80 has a
function of receiving purchased commodity data wirelessly
transmitted from the commodity registration supporting device 10
and storing the purchased commodity data in a storing section and a
function of transferring the purchased commodity data stored in the
storing section to the POS terminal 20. The data transfer to the
POS terminal 20 may be performed using a wire or may be performed
using radio. The purchased commodity data may be transferred to the
POS terminal 20 directly or via a server. A well-known wireless
communication apparatus such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal
is used as the cart terminal 80.
The cart tag 36 is provided in the cart terminal 80. The cart tag
36 transmits an electromagnetic wave including identification
information for identifying the cart terminal 80. The information
of this type is hereinafter referred to as cart ID. The cart ID is
different for each cart terminal 80. A data structure of the cart
ID is not particularly limited. In short, the processor 11 of the
commodity registration supporting device 10, which reads data of
the cart tag 36 via the wireless tag reader 17, only has to be able
to identify the cart terminal 80. An attachment place of the cart
tag 36 is desirably a place where the wireless tag reader 17 can
read the data of the cart tag 36 if a purchaser wearing the
commodity registration supporting device 10 brings the commodity
registration supporting device 10 close to the cart terminal
80.
FIG. 13 is an example of the cart tag 36 provided in the cart
terminal 80. As illustrated in FIG. 13, the cart tag 36 is attached
to a part of the same surface as a screen of a display device 81
included in the cart terminal 80.
FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of data
stored in the purchased commodity memory 73 in the second
embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 14, in the second embodiment, a
transmission completion flag F is added to purchased commodity data
including a commodity ID, a commodity name, and a price. The
transmission completion flag F is one-bit data for identifying
whether the purchased commodity data corresponding to the
transmission completion flag F is already transmitted to the cart
terminal 80. In this embodiment, the transmission completion flag F
indicating non-transmission is represented as "0" and the
transmission completion flag F indicating transmission completion
is represented as "1". "0" and "1" of the transmission completion
flag F may be opposite.
FIGS. 15 to 17 are flowcharts illustrating a main part procedure of
information processing executed by the processor 11 according to a
commodity registration supporting program in the second embodiment.
Incidentally, FIG. 15 corresponds to FIG. 6 in the first
embodiment, FIG. 16 corresponds to FIG. 9 in the first embodiment,
and FIG. 17 corresponds to FIG. 11 in the first embodiment. A main
operation of the commodity registration supporting device 10 in the
second embodiment is hereinafter explained below with reference to
the flowcharts of FIGS. 15 to 17. The operation explained below is
an example. A procedure and content of the operation are not
particularly limited if the same result can be obtained.
In Act 1, the processor 11 continues to wait for data of the
wireless tag 30 to be read. If the data of the wireless tag 30 is
read via the wireless tag reader 17, in Act 2, the processor 11
analyzes the data of the wireless tag 30. If the analyzed data is
data of the store entry tag 31 in Act 3, the processor 11 executes
the processing of the procedure illustrated in FIG. 7 as in the
first embodiment. If the analyzed data is data of the shelf label
tag 33 in Act 4, the processor 11 executes the processing of the
procedure illustrated in FIG. 8 as in the first embodiment. If the
analyzed data is data of the commodity return tag 35 in Act 6, the
processor 11 executes the processing of the procedure illustrated
in FIG. 10 as in the first embodiment.
On the other hand, if the analyzed data is data of the purchase
flag 34 in Act 5, the processor 11 determines YES in Act 5 and
proceeds to Act 41 in FIG. 16. In Act 41, the processor 11 confirms
whether the status data ST described in the status memory 72 is "2"
indicating purchase. If the status data ST is "2" indicating
purchase, in Act 42, the processor 11 describes, in the purchased
commodity memory 73, data of the shelf label tag 33 described in
the buffer memory 71, that is, purchased commodity data including a
commodity ID, a commodity name, and a price. Further, in Act 71,
the processor 11 adds the transmission completion flag F indicating
non-transmission "0" to the purchased commodity data. Thereafter,
in Acts 43 to 46, the processor 11 executes the same processing as
the processing in the first embodiment.
If the analyzed data is not the data of the commodity return tag 35
in Act 6, the processor 11 determines NO in Act 6 and proceeds to
Act 8. In Act 8, the processor 11 confirms whether the analyzed
data is data of the cart tag 36. If the analyzed data is not the
data of the cart tag 36, the processor 11 determines NO in Act 8
and returns to Act 1. If the analyzed data is the data of the cart
tag 36, the processor 11 determines YES in Act 8 and proceeds to
Act 61 in FIG. 17. In Act 61, the processor 11 confirms whether the
status data ST described in the status memory 72 is "1" indicating
shopping. If the status data ST is "1", in Act 62, the processor 11
confirms whether purchased commodity data is stored in the
purchased commodity memory 73.
If purchased commodity data is stored in the purchased commodity
memory 73, in Act 81, the processor 11 requests the wireless unit
14 to perform connection to the cart terminal 80. According to this
connection request, the wireless unit 14 connects a wireless line
to the cart terminal 80 identified by a cart ID, which is the data
of the cart tag 36.
In Act 82, the processor 11 confirms whether the wireless line to
the cart terminal 80 is connected. If the wireless line is
connected, the processor 11 determines YES in Act 82 and proceeds
to Act 83. In Act 83, the processor 11 acquires purchased commodity
data, the transmission completion flag F of which is set to
non-transmission "0", out of the purchased commodity data stored in
the purchased commodity memory 73.
In Act 84, the processor 11 confirms presence or absence of
purchased commodity data, the transmission completion flag F of
which is set to non-transmission "0". If the pertinent purchased
commodity data is present, the processor 11 determines YES in Act
84 and proceeds to Act 85. In Act 85, the processor 11 controls the
wireless unit 14 to transmit the pertinent purchased commodity data
to the cart terminal 80. According to this control, the wireless
unit 14 wirelessly transmits the purchased commodity data, the
transmission completion flag F of which is set to the
non-transmission "0", to the cart terminal 80.
In Act 86, the processor 11 confirms whether the purchased
commodity data is finished being normally transmitted. If the
purchased commodity data is finished being normally transmitted,
the processor 11 determines YES in Act 86 and proceeds to Act 87.
In Act 87, the processor 11 changes all the transmission completion
flags F added to the purchased commodity data stored in the
purchased commodity memory 73 to transmission completion "1". In
Act 67, the processor 11 changes the status data ST to "0"
indicating not entering the store yet. Thereafter, the processor 11
returns to Act 1 and continues to wait for the wireless tag 30 to
be read.
If the purchased commodity data is not finished being normally
transmitted, the processor 11 determines NO in Act 86, skips the
processing in Acts 87 and 67, and returns to Act 1. If purchased
commodity data, the transmission completion flag F of which is set
to non-transmission "0", is absent, the processor 11 determines NO
in Act 84, skips the processing in Acts 85 to 87 and 67, and
returns to Act 1. If the processor 11 fails in the line connection
to the cart terminal 80, the processor 11 determines NO in Act 82,
skips the processing in Acts 83 to 87 and 67, and returns to Act 1.
If purchased commodity data is not stored in the purchased
commodity memory 73, the processor 11 determines NO in Act 62,
skips the processing in Acts 81 to 87 and 67, and returns to Act 1.
If the status data ST is not "1", the processor 11 determines NO in
Act 61, skips the processing in Acts 62, 81 to 87, and 67, and
returns to Act 1.
In the second embodiment as well, the purchaser coming to the store
attaches the commodity registration supporting device 10 near the
wrist as illustrated in FIG. 4. The purchaser wearing the commodity
registration supporting device 10 takes out the shopping basket 50
from a pile of the shopping baskets 50 stacked near the store
entrance. In such an act of the purchaser, the commodity
registration supporting device 10 reads the data of the store entry
tag 31 with the wireless tag reader 17.
If the data of the store entry tag 31 is read by the wireless tag
reader 17, display for instructing the purchaser to start shopping
is performed in the commodity registration supporting device 10.
Therefore, the purchaser confirming the display holds the shopping
basket 50 and starts shopping. At this time, the purchaser places
the shopping basket 50 on the cart attached with the cart terminal
80 and starts shopping. As in the first embodiment, the purchaser
starting the shopping takes out commodities to be purchased from
the shopping shelf 40 one by one and puts the commodities in the
shopping basket 50. As in the first embodiment, the purchaser takes
out a commodity to be returned before settlement from the shopping
basket 50 and returns the commodity to the original shopping shelf
40. According to such an act of the purchaser, purchased commodity
data of the commodities contained in the shopping basket 50 is
stored in the purchased commodity memory 73.
For example, if the purchaser desires to confirm a total amount
halfway in the shopping, the purchaser brings the commodity
registration supporting device 10 close to the cart tag 36 attached
to the cart terminal 80. Then, the data of the cart tag 36 is read
by the wireless tag reader 17. The purchased commodity data in the
purchased commodity memory 73 is wirelessly transmitted to the cart
terminal 80 identified by the data of the cart tag 36. As a result,
for example, as illustrated in FIG. 13, a list image of commodity
names, the numbers of articles, and prices of purchased commodities
up to the present point in time, a total number of articles, and a
total amount are displayed on the display device 81 of the cart
terminal 80. Therefore, the purchaser can easily confirm the total
amount at the present point in time simply by bringing the
commodity registration supporting device 10 close to the cart tag
36 halfway in the shopping.
The purchaser finishing the shopping brings the commodity
registration supporting device 10 close to the cart tag 36 attached
to the cart terminal 80 as explained above. Then, purchased
commodity data not transmitted to the cart terminal 80 yet is
wirelessly transmitted to the cart terminal 80. Therefore,
purchased commodity data finally stored in the purchased commodity
memory 73 is saved in the cart terminal 80.
The purchased commodity data saved in the cart terminal 80 is
transferred to the POS terminal 20. In the POS terminal 20, as in
the first embodiment, sales registration processing of commodities
is executed based on the purchased commodity data.
In the second embodiment having such a configuration, as in the
first embodiment, it is possible to provide the commodity
registration supporting device 10 that can efficiently support
commodity registration by the purchaser at low cost.
Modifications
Modifications of the embodiments are explained below.
In the embodiments, as an example, the commodity registration
supporting device 10 is the wristwatch type and is attached near
the wrist of the purchaser. The commodity registration supporting
device 10 only has to be attached to an upper limb from a shoulder
to a fingertip and able to detect the first act and the second act
by the purchaser. For example, it is also possible to form the
commodity registration supporting device 10 in a fingering shape
and attach the commodity registration supporting device 10 to a
finger of the purchaser.
In the embodiments, the purchase tag 34 and the commodity return
tag 35 are provided in the shopping basket 50. The first act and
the second act by the purchaser are detected by reading the data of
the purchase tag 34 or the commodity return tag 35 with the
wireless tag reader 17 of the commodity registration supporting
device 10. Means for detecting the first act and the second act is
not limited to this. For example, the commodity registration
supporting device 10 of a wristband type incorporating a motion
sensor such as an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, or a muscle
potential sensor may be developed. The first act and the second act
by the purchaser may be detected from information of the motion
sensor.
In the embodiments, as an example, there is one purchaser. For
example, in the case of a family, all family members wear the
commodity registration supporting devices 10. In accounting,
purchased commodity data stored in the purchased commodity memories
73 of the commodity registration supporting device 10 of all the
family members are sequentially transmitted to the POS terminal 20.
The POS terminal 20 executes sales registration processing based on
the purchased commodity data received from the commodity
registration supporting devices 10. Consequently, for example, it
is possible to cope with even a family. A server may be provided
between the commodity registration supporting device 10 and the POS
terminal 20. The server may collect purchased commodity data and
then transmit the purchased commodity data to the POS terminal
20.
In the embodiments, the transmitter is configured by the wireless
tag 30. The transmitter is not limited to the wireless tag. The
transmitter only has to be a transmitter that can transmit
identification information of displayed commodities through short
range wireless communication.
In the second embodiment, as an example, the transmission
completion flag F is added to the purchased commodity data, and
purchased commodity data, the transmission completion flag F of
which is non-transmission, is transmitted to the cart terminal 80.
Concerning this point, the cart terminal 80 may overwrite and save
purchased commodity data transmitted from the commodity
registration supporting device 10. Therefore, in Act 85, all
purchased commodity data of the purchased commodity memory 73 may
be transmitted to the cart terminal 80. In this case, the
transmission completion flag F is unnecessary.
The several embodiments are explained above. However, the
embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit
the scope of the invention. These new embodiments can be
implemented in other various forms. Various omissions,
substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the
spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications of the
embodiments are included in the scope and the gist of the invention
and included in the inventions described in claims and the scope of
equivalents of the inventions.
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